Electric switch mechanism



A. H. NERO ELECTRI C SWITCH MECHANISM Filed July 23 1921 zmii lh .WWIQ

v INVENTDR FRY/0 H. NERO ATTORNEYS and adjusting abutment bein PatentedNov. 17, 1925.

"UNITED amass Parana orrics ABVID- H. NERO, OF'iN'EW- BRITAIN,CONNECTICUT. ASSIGNOR TO THE ARROW ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, OF HARTFORD.CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH MECHANISM.

" Application filed July as, 1921. Serial No. 487,164.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anvn) H. Nnno, a citizen of the United. States ofAmerica, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Switch Mechanisms, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention, relates to electric switch mechanisms, and particularly toa switch mechanism for electric lamp sockets. The object of my inventionis to further improve and simplify a switch mechanism of the generaltype shown'in my copending application Serial No.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of anelectric lamp socket in which any invention is embodied in. one form;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough on the line 22, Fig. 1; and

' Figs. 3, 4,5 and 6 comprise an exploded view of the insulating bodyand switch mechanism of the socket, the ratchet-s ring omitted; Fig. 3being a topplan view the upper button of the socketbody, Fig.4 aerspective of the chain rail and ratchet, ig. 5 a

276,467, filed February 12,

perspective of the switch spindle, star plate,

switch spring, switch bar and actuating cam, which form a convenientassembly unit, and Fig. 6 a perspective of the lower insulating buttonand associated parts.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the switch is mounted inan electric lamp socket comprising the usual ca 7- and shell 8, withinsulatinglining 9.

Within the casing are housed the insulating buttons 10 and 11 with theinterposed switc mechanism, as well as the lamp-receivingterminals 12and 13 mounted on the outerv face of the button; 11 and'adapted toreceive the plug basel4 of the lamp 1 standards 16, 17 and 18, of whichthe firstnientioned carries the detachable chain bell 1 19, whilethestandards 17 and 18 are tapped to receive the binding screws 20 and 21,by which the lead wires are connected to the a direct electricalconnectionbetween these parts is established.

The standard 17 has a foot piece 24 re-v ceived in a suitable channel inthe inner face of the button 11. Beneath the foot piece 24 is aprojecting flange of the switch contact 25 arranged at one side of theswitch chamber. Diametrically opposite the same is a second switchcontact 26 formed of a piece of strap metal bent to shape and hav ingits outer end I 27 in the button 11 through the base 28 of the'baseflange of the screw shell 13 so that I passed through the hole thecenter contact 12 over which base it is angled and secured by soldering.The contacts 25 and 26 lie in the valleys of a hill and valley coursefor the switch bar 29. As will be noted, the hills 30 of the course arequite short and steep, and the contacts 1 25 and 26 are provided withlugs 31 which lie against the adjacent faces of diametrically oppositehills, upon which they are supported.

To travel the switch bar 29 on its hill' and valley course, I' provide aswitch mechanism mounted on the spindle 32. As

here indicated the lower end of the spindle is freely journaled in awell 33 formed in the bottom of the cup-shaped central do rhesion 34, onthe ledge surrounding whic the hill and valley course is laid out. Theupper end of the spindle is freely journaled in a bushing 35 ofrectan'gularshape, freely seated in a similarly shaped depression 36 inthe button 10, through which a hole 37 'is opened to admit a screwdriver to the slot 381in the bushing, so that the latter may be forcedfrom its seat and rotated to tension the ratchet spring 39. One end ofthe latter is engaged as usual in a hole in the bushing, while the otherend is ofiset and engaged by a suitable abutment 40 struck from theratchet plate-41. The latter is carried by the insulating segment 42Spacing apart the buttons 10 and 11 are.

to the margin of which is secured the chain rail 43.

Cooperating with the do 44 of the ratchet plate, is a star plate 45 aston the spindle 32. Below the star plate and suitably spaced therefrom isa cam disk 46, also fast on the spindle 32. Cam arms 47 and 48ofisetfrom the periphery of the cam disk 46 enter marginal notches-49 inthe switch bar 29, which isfreely mounted on the spindle between thestar plate 45 and the cam plate 46. Be-

tween the switch bar and the star plate'is arranged a coil spring 50,held in compression by the rigid assembly of the star plate and camplate 46 on the spindle. To lessen friction between the cam arms 47 and48 and the switch bar 29, '1 preferably bevel the notches 49 throughwhich the cam arms the buttons 10 and 11 on .the assembly of the socketparts. v 1

The operation of the switch will be readily understood. When an angulardisplacement is imparted to the ratchet plate 41 by the actuation of thebell chain 52, its dogs 44 engage the arms of the star plate 45 andimpart a rotary motion thereto. Assuming the switch bar 29 to span thecontacts and 26, the rotary motionv imparted to the star plate and cam46 tends tocar the switch bar around therewith. The a vance thereof onits course, however, is impeded by the upwardly angled flanges 31 of thecontacts which lie against the sides of the diametrically opposite hills30. The cam arms 47 and 48 of the disk 46 now serve to lift the-switchbar up the rise of the hill,

during which rise the switch bar lags be.'

hind the cam disk 46. On reaching the crest I of the hill, the switchbar crosses the top under the impelling action of the cam arms 47, whichit frictionally engages under the now severely compressed spring 50. Asit passes the crest of the hills, thes ring 50 urges it downward intothe succee ing-valley. The incline -of the hill, however, is sharperthan the'inc'line of the cam arms 47 and 48. Conscqhently the switch barrides down the inclines of the cam arms 47 and 48 and isthereby thrustquickly. forward on its course, overtaking the cam disk 46 and beinghalted by impingement a ainst the inclines of the succeeding air ofhills 30. It accordingly rests in t e intermediate valley at a pointremote from the end of the contacts from which'it hasjust parted. Thisaction is very important'in securing a wide break for the-switch andreatly increases itscur rent-breaking capacity.

The present construction involves a simplificatlon of that shown in mycopending application above referred to,.and consti tutes an improvementof practical merit, the details of which may be somewhat modified,

without departing from what I claim as my invention. The switchmechanism may be utlhzed in a device of any suitable sort, and 1s notnecessarily'associated with an electric lamp socket.

I claim as my invention Y 1. In an electricswitch having a hill andvalley course, a switch bar riding the course, a cam plate arrangedbeneath and having cam arms upwardly offset for engagement with theswitch bar and passing therei I through, a compression spring above andnormally pressing the switch bar against the cam plate, and means foractuating said cam plate to cause the cam arms'of the latter to lift theswitch bar with lagging action over the hills of the course, saidcompression spring causing said switch bar to ride down the cam armswith overtaking action as bar,a compression spring normall holding saidcam arms passing through the switch said switch bar in engagement witthe cam plate, and a ratchet drive member fast -on the spindle andforming an abutment for I said spring.

3. In an electric switch, a rotary switch spindle, a ratchet star platefast thereon, a cam plate fast thereon and spaced therefrom, said camplate having offset cam arms extending through the switch bar and towardthe star glate, a switch bar, freely mounted on sai spindle betweensaidstar. and camplates, and a compression spring between the star plate andswitch bar to force the latter against the cam plate, substantially asdescribed. p j

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

, ARV'ID H. NERO.

